Burress was carted off the practice field Thursday, and NFL.com and ESPN.com later reported that he sustained a torn right rotator cuff.

They injury may not only cost Burress the season, but perhaps his career.

Burress was attempting to catch a pass while being defended by two defensive backs, and he landed awkwardly on his right shoulder.

The 12-year veteran is competing for a spot as a No. 4 or 5 wide receiver in his second stint with the Steelers.

Burress, 35, had three catches for 42 yards in four games with the Steelers last season.

---Atlanta Falcons linebacker Brian Banks, who spent five years in prison wrongfully accused of rape, made his long-awaited NFL debut Thursday night.

Banks entered the Falcons' preseason opener in the fourth quarter and registered a tackle against the Cincinnati Bengals. The Falcons lost 34-10.

"It was out of control," he told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "Just running out there -- the flames, the cheers, the crowd. I wasn't nervous at all, but just the emotion of running through the tunnel, the adrenaline that comes with it, is better than any roller-coaster ride you could get on."

Banks, 28, spent five years in prison and five years on parole after he was wrongly accused and convicted of rape while he was at Poly Tech High School in Long Beach, California.

--- Cleveland Browns starting right guard Shawn Lauvao was scheduled to have arthroscopic surgery on his left ankle on Friday, coach Rob Chudzinski said, according to the Akron Beacon Journal.

Lauvao injured his ankle earlier this week in practice.

The team provided no specific timetable for Lauvao's possible return, but did say he would miss some regular-season games.

---St. Louis Rams coach Jeff Fisher said right tackle Rodger Saffold sustained a dislocated left shoulder in Thursday's preseason game and may miss a couple preseason games,

Saffold needs playing time because he was moved to the right side after playing the past three seasons at left tackle.